Prahran ‘completely chuffed’ after Nick Morrey’s maiden Premier Cricket ton

A match-winning knock from a club 200-gamer has left Prahran “completely chuffed” as the 144-year-old club nears a major feat for the first time in history.

What a time to do it.

Prahran 200-gamer Nick Morrey scored his maiden First XI century on Saturday to place the True Blues back into the top eight and in prime club championship winning contention after defeating Melbourne University by six wickets away from home.

Tasked with countering the Uni spin threat of Fawad Ahmed and Doug Warren, Morrey hit an unbeaten 100 off 238 balls to steer his side over the line as the True Blues chased down 7d-274 at University Oval.

Alongside Morrey was Victorian Sheffield Shield captain Will Sutherland who notched an eye-catching 94 off 124 deliveries, featuring 11 boundaries including two sixes.

Prahran batsman William Sutherland in action. Picture: Valeriu Campan

After losing 2-33 early, the pair combined to put on a match-winning partnership of 139 runs to take the True Blues to 3-172 where they needed another 103 runs for victory.

True Blues coach Justin Graham was stoked for Morrey who was initially tasked with the role of captaining the Second XI at the start of the season.

“He is Prahran to the very bone,” Graham said.

“He is a True Blue right throughout his blood.

“His old man played at Prahran, he played for the club as a very young fella.

“He just bleeds the club.

“His off field work is enormous, he has officially been the Second XI captain this year but through circumstances, he has found himself in the ones.

“The whole club is just completely chuffed for him.”

Nick Morrey made his first XI debut for Prahran 10 years ago. Has played 75 matches in the top team and 220 for the club. Yesterday he hit his maiden @vicpremcricket century, a vital 100no in a run-chase win over Melbourne University. Plenty of people will be chuffed for him. pic.twitter.com/QDsLYyIuYf

— Paul Amy (@PaulAmy375) February 18, 2023

Making the century even more special was Morrey’s success in occupying the crease to have a right-left hand batting combination against the spinners.

It was a plan that led Graham to promoting Morrey, a left-hander, up the order to number three.

“The reason why we went with Nick at number three is because we probably knew that Fawad and Warren wanted to bowl to right-handers as much as possible,” he said.

“So we thought the left-hander was a really good match up for us.

“Nick’s job was to get there and bat all day and blunt them and try to take away their two big weapons which are there two spin bowlers.

“If we could blunt them a little bit and work around the other ends, (we thought that would work).

“To Nick’s credit, it was incredible concentration throughout the whole day to keep doing that and then to get his first First XI hundred at the end of the day was real credit to him.

“It was really great reward for a bloke who has had about 15 years or so at the club and played over 200 games and to get a First XI century is something he will cherish forever.”

Uni bowlers Ahmed (2-57 off 28 overs) and Warren (1-80 off 26 overs) bowled 54 of the 89.3 overs in the match as the True Blues conquered the challenge and finished on 4-287, passing Uni’s 274.

The win for the True Blues puts them into sixth spot on the ladder with eight wins from 14 matches after being outside the top eight before the round.

Prahran fast bowler Nicholas Boland is set to return this week. Picture: Valeriu Campan

With the club’s lower grades in top four ladder positions including the Third XI and Fourth XI who are both in first, the True Blues sit on top of the club championship standings.

The True Blues are currently on 594 points, 23 points ahead of St Kilda and 47 in front of Richmond.

Heading into the final round of the season, Graham who won seven club championships in a glorious run with Melbourne, said the prospect of the True Blues winning its first ever was a focus.

“The biggest thing for the club is probably the club championship to be honest,” he said.

“The club has never won it.

“We’re now sitting on top, 23 points ahead.

“144 years the club’s been around so as a whole that has been a really big focus this year.

“It is now in our grasp and we will really be striving for that.”

Fast bowler Nick Boland is set to return this week against Ringwood after missing the last two games due to the birth of his first child.

The club will also be hoping they can have skipper Will Sutherland returning for the semi-final when he and other Victorian contracted players are set to become available for Premier Cricket again.